The Seeing Bowl
by jayitaintso
Summary: Katara's life as Yue's lady-in-waiting is disrupted when her father returns from the Fire Nation with a strange bowl that predicts the future and a prisoner who enlightens her about the world outside of the Northern Water Tribe. Zuko/Katara, AU
1. Homecomings

_Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar, and make no money off of this fic. I also don't own Victoria Hanley's The Seer and the Sword on which the plot of this fic is loosely based. This disclaimer applies to this entire work._

_Note: Starts two years before the show._

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><p><strong>The Seeing Bowl, Chapter One: Homecomings<strong>

In the Southern Water Tribe, the term ladylike simply meant having good manners and showing respect to elders. There were designated chores for boys and girls, but she had rarely been scolded for playing warrior with Sokka or going penguin sledding.

It was different here. The people had a clear perceptions about what girls and boys should do, and they objected when their views were dismissed.

Katara pouted at her clumsy needlework before glancing at Yue. The princess was focused on her own design. Katara angled her neck to get a better look. It was a labyrinth of colors, and it blended seamlessly into an image that showed a dance between two fish.

For the first year that Katara lived in the Northern Water Tribe, her life changed drastically. She had been unable to spend as much time with Sokka, and she was taught ladylike chores and manners. Instead of her improvised waterbending practice, she had healing lessons with Yugoda and formal schooling for the first time in her life. Katara also had new obligations as lady-in-waiting to Princess Yue. She had excelled at healing and preformed well in her academics. She was also above average in many areas associated with being a lady-in-waiting.

Katara winced as she pricked her finger. What she was not at all good at was embroidery.

Northern Water Tribe ladies were expected to embroider sophisticated designs that represented the heritage and principle values of their tribe. Four years after arriving in the Northern Water Tribe, Katara's embroidery was still hopeless. As a lady-in-waiting, she was expected to practice every day with several of the other ladies of high standing, including Princess Yue and the princess' mother, Lady Lokoa. She just happened to learn more about healing pricks than she did about the irritating intricacies of needlework.

Today was no exception.

"Ouch!" whined Katara as she pricked herself again. She dropped her work to her lap and dunked her swollen thumb into the water dish she kept nearby when she was sewing. The prick healed with hardly any effort.

"Was that a bad one?" asked Yue with a small smile.

Katara smirked back, but before she could answer, a boy ran in through the door curtains and skidded to a stop in front of Lady Lokoa.

"They're back!" he shouted. Then, remembering himself, he stood up straight and gave a small bow. "Message from the sentries, Lady Lokoa."

Katara exchanged a look with Yue, and her heart quickened. It was a week early, but maybe if the wind had been good...

"Who's back, young man?" asked Lady Lokoa, putting down her embroidery and rising from the rug. There was a tightness in her voice, and Katara was certain that their thoughts were identical.

"The fleet!"

Katara was on her feet and out of the room before she had time to think. In the back of her mind, she noticed that some of the other ladies were following, but they were far behind, and were moving at a more appropriate pace. Katara grinned, though she knew she would be scolded for her abrupt actions later. She flew past the palace guards and was out of the gate, running down the city's central street before she even thought of waiting for Yue and her private gondola.

When she arrived at the docks a quarter hour later, she was exhausted, but she felt a swell of pride when she saw that Yue's gondola was still far in the distance. When the great gates to the harbor opened, she was there to see the first warship glide into port. It was Chief Arnook's ship, and his family's totem flag flew from the central mast. A small crowd, mostly composed of dock workers, had already gathered, and their excited victory chants were drawing people out of the surrounding homes and warehouses to join them.

Katara plunged into the sea of adults and pushed her way through. She didn't see the second ship enter the city - she couldn't see anything other than the backs of the people in front of her - but she heard the roar surge and felt her heart leap. That would be the chief's second-in-command's ship - her father's ship.

It had been a little over a year since her father left with Chief Arnook and the other Water Tribe warriors. They had allied with Earth Kingdom armies in an effort to liberate territories that had been occupied by the Fire Nation. Their combined forces had done more than that. They had managed to push into the outer islands of the Fire Nation itself.

With one final nudge, Katara broke through to the front of the crowd. Hakoda was helping to lower the mainsail on his ship. His back was to the crowd, but Katara instantly recognized his unmistakable posture.

"Dad!" she yelled. Her voice was swallowed up in the noise of the crowd. She tried again, louder, but it didn't do any good. She was about to try and waterbend herself a bridge when Bato turned around and spotted her. Katara beamed and waved her arms frantically. Bato grinned and tugged on Hakoda's shoulder. Seeing her father's face sent a wave of joy through Katara, and she was unable to contain a very unladylike whoop.

Hakoda glanced back at the mainsail, but Bato slapped him on the back, said something Katara couldn't hear, and gave him a friendly shove toward the newly lowered gangplank. Katara pushed her way along the waist-high barrier that separated the street from the frigid water. Before she was halfway to the gap that allowed access to the dock, the crowd parted in front of her to let Hakoda through. She ran into his arms, and he picked her up and spun her around like he had when she was a little girl.

"I missed you so much," he said when he had put her down. "Spirits, you've grown. You're practically a woman now, Katara."

Katara nearly rolled her eyes - she hoped he was exaggerating - and continued to beam up at him. "I missed you too, Dad."

A renewed cheer from the crowd went up as Chief Arnook crossed the ramp from his ship to the main docks. Katara turned to watch as Lady Lokoa and Princess Yue greeted the Chief with formal bows. The Chief bowed back, accepting their greeting, and then pulled his wife and daughter into a tight embrace. After releasing his family, Arnook glanced back towards the ships and then to the crowd. He caught Hakoda's eye and motioned for his second-in-command to come. Katara walked hand-in-hand with her father to join the royal family.

"My brothers and sisters!" called out Chief Arnook. Silence fell instantly on the gathering crowd. "My brothers and sisters," he repeated, raising his hands, "we have returned victorious! Our brave warriors, along with our allies in the Earth Kingdom, have driven back the Fire Nation! We have helped our Earth Kingdom allies to restore their rightful sovereignty over their lands! We have freed thousands of our Earth Kingdom brothers from Fire Lord Ozai, and now we hold seven Fire Nation islands of our own! We have driven them back, and we will continue to drive them back, until this world is once again at peace for ourselves and for our children!" Arnook slowly lowered his hands. "This victory did not come without cost," he said gravely. "Many brave and good men fell to the armies of the Fire Nation, and we will mourn their loss. Tonight we will recognize the brave warriors among us, but we will also remember the many who sacrificed their lives so that we could drink to our victory. We will also drink to our allies!" He nodded towards several men beside him who were dressed in Earth Kingdom clothing. "We will celebrate with our guests, and we will pledge our continued allegiance to each other. Now join me, brothers and sisters, in my own home tonight. Spread the word: Tonight the palace is open to all!"

A cheer rose from the crowd once more, and Katara was about to join in, but Lady Lokoa gave her a gently chiding look, and she simply smiled wide once more.

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><p>The palace was in a frenzy by the time Sokka was released from training. News of the fleet's early return had spread quickly from the palace to the barracks, but Sergeant Bokta insisted that they finish their set of exercises. It had taken forever. Then he'd had to race through the streets before he managed to track down a member of his father's crew, who had told him Hakoda was meeting with Chief Arnook in the palace. He'd tried to find someone who knew where exactly in the palace they were meeting, but everyone seemed too busy to be bothered. Almost two hours after his training had finished, his excitement from hearing of the fleet's return had disappeared as he found himself walking down the same palace hallway for the fourth time with a childish scowl on his face.<p>

"Sokka!" called out a voice from behind him. Sokka turned to see Princess Yue, who was trailed by his sister, walking towards him, and his mood brightened instantly.

"Princess Yue! Hi, uh, Your Highness," said Sokka sheepishly. He thought Yue's smile might have widened a little, and he could feel a blush starting in his ears. Yue, who was a year older than Sokka, had always been polite and kind to him. Since his most recent growth spurt, though, he swore that she was starting to sneak glances of him, like he had been sneaking looks at her for the past two years.

Sokka bowed slightly when she reached him and, in a moment of either incredible bravery or incredible stupidity, grabbed her right hand and kissed her knuckles. The blush spread right down to his toes, but it was worth it for Yue's giggle and the twinkle in her eyes. The moment was ruined by Katara's quiet snicker, and he glared at her.

"Dad's with Chief Arnook and the Earth Kingdom people in the Chief's studyroom," said Katara, who was still grinning. "They probably won't come out until it's time for the feast, but Lady Lokoa says we can sit at the high table with them tonight, since it's a homecoming celebration."

"Right," said Sokka curtly. He was still annoyed at his sister, and if the Princess hadn't been there, he would have been tempted to stick out his tongue at her. But now that he knew that he wouldn't see his father until that night, he was at loose ends. "Uh, Princess, if you're not busy, would you like to do an...ah, activity together?"

"That's sweet of you, Sokka, but we have to set up the decorations with my my mother," said Yue. "Actually, do you think you could help us with something?"

"Sure. What do you need?" asked Sokka eagerly.

"The big brass dish from the kitchen storeroom," said Katara as she pointed over her shoulder towards the kitchen. "We also need to get the fancy stew bowls, so it would save us a trip if you'd get that the dish for us."

"Sure thing, Princess Yue," said Sokka.

Katara rolled her eyes.

The kitchen had no ceiling, and it was also the only area in the palace with a stone floor. The walls were placed a fair distance from the ovens and fire-pits which littered the center of the room. Usually, a waterbender had to reinforce the walls once a week to reverse the effects of the melting, but right now one of Master Pakku's younger students was rushing from one melting spot to another in attempt to fix the damage that was being caused by all the ovens burning at once. Yue, Sokka, and Katara wove their way through the bustle of cooks and commandeered servants from other parts of the palace, before they were finally able to make their way to the storage room.

Inside, it was dark, and the ceiling sloped like a cave. The only illumination came from narrow skylights which were placed in rows of two. The shadowy piles of pots, dishes, cured meats and dried vegetation appeared more threatening than they should have.

"The brass dish is in the back," said Yue, an apologetic note in her voice, and when she motioned in front of herself, Sokka could barely see her hand.

He scowled when Katara stepped on his foot and nodded forward with a small smile. He looked between Yue and his sister and took a deep breath. Sokka absolutely refused to be intimidated by the fact that he was unable to see the back of the storeroom. Yue and Katara wandered off, presumably in search of the fancy bowls, and Sokka set out for the shadowy depths of the room.

Katara hadn't been kidding when she said the dish was large. He was certain that if he tilted the shallow dish on its side, it would have reached his waist. He muttered something about annoying little sisters, then bent his knees in order to get a good grip on the dish.

A shadow moved on his left side, and there was a quite moaning noise. Sokka bit back a yelp and glared into the darkness.

"I know that was you, Katara!" he growled to his left.

There was no reply.

"Katara!" he shouted into the shadows.

"What?" The shouted reply came from the opposite direction. Sokka looked back and forth between the direction the first noise and the direction where he heard Katara, then grabbed the lip of the dish and dragged it back to the entrance as fast as he could.

When Yue and Katara emerged from the shadows a couple minutes later, each carrying a large stack of silver-plated bowls, Sokka was still panting and glaring angrily into the depths of the storeroom.

"Are you okay, Sokka?" asked Katara.

"There's something back there," he accused.

"What do you mean?" asked Yue.

"I don't know," said Sokka. "Something moved back there, and it made a sound like...I don't know what."

"Must be a arctic foxseal," offered Katara with a small shrug.

"Oh," said Sokka. "Yeah, an animal. I knew that." He refused to look back as he followed Yue and Katara out of the room and into the warmth of the kitchens.

That night, the great hall of the palace was filled with warriors and their families, and the sound of even larger masses celebrating in the courtyard outside shook the ground. The brass dish had been filled with dried Earth Kingdom flowers and placed in the center of the high table for the feast. Sokka, who was seated between his father and Master Pakku at the one end of the table, could clearly see the scuff marks where he had dragged it across the kitchen floor. The Earth Kingdom guests were seated in the middle of the table with the chief, and Princess Yue, Lady Lokoa, and Katara occupied the end opposite of Sokka. Snatches of war stories drifted up to the high table, but Hakoda only wanted to talk about what Sokka's year had been like. He refused to speak of the battles, and Sokka's repeated questions had eventually earned him a tired look and a promise to talk about it 'when you're older.'

"Tell them about the ghost town, sir!" shouted one of the soldiers, standing and taking a few steps toward the high table.

"Ghost town?" asked Sokka with wide eyes.

"When you're older," repeated Hakoda with a smile and shook his head at the soldier, who returned to his table with an exasperated look. At that point, a platter of steaming caribou-moose meat was brought in, and Sokka immediately had more important things to think about.

As the meal drew to a close, Chief Arnook stood, a flagon of walrus-skin ice wine raised in one hand.

"It is with great joy that we gather here tonight," he said. The curvature of the walls funnelled his voice so it carried out over the crowd. They quieted, and raised their glasses in imitation of the chief. "We have been victorious, and though we mourn our lost brothers, we know they have not died in vain. A toast to the fallen: may they find peace." He drank, and the crowd followed him. He then turned to face the leader of the Earth Kingdom delegation. He was a tall man with a goatee and long mustache, and the front half of his head was shaved. "And we drink to our allies," Chief Arnook said, raising his cup again. "To the Earth Kingdom, represented here by Grand Secretariat Long Feng, and to those few brave men of the Fire Nation who joined us in our righteous fight."

Sokka knew that last part referred to Jeong-Jeong the Deserter, a former Fire Nation admiral who had joined the Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom Alliance.

Sokka frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. He didn't believe that anyone from the Fire Nation would ever join them. Jeong-Jeong couldn't be trusted. He was probably had some scheme going to get power for himself.

"And now," the chief said, "let us recognize the bravest among us. Hakoda, stand."

There must have been a prearranged signal, because as Hakoda stood, a man entered the room from one of the side doors, carrying an elegantly ornamented Fire Nation sword. The chief took it and held it out toward his second-in-command. "Your leadership, bravery and cleverness saved many lives during our campaign, and won many battles. This sword belonged to Commander Zhao, who we were able to defeat quickly and thoroughly due to your strategies. Take it as a token of gratitude for the service you have performed."

The gathered soldiers broke into cheers, and Sokka did his best to be louder than all of them combined. He took little note of the grim set of his father's face.

There were other gifts presented to soldiers and officers. A gold-plated ceremonial helmet was given to the Earth Kingdom delegation. It was intended to be a personal expression of gratitude from the Water Tribe Chief. When Arnook gave a jeweled necklace to Lady Lokoa to thank her for taking over many of his duties in his absence, Sokka thought he was done. Some of the soldiers turned back to their plates, but then Chief Arnook spoke again.

"I have a final gift," he said. "For my daughter, Princess Yue, something I have no doubt the Fire Lord mourns more than any of the islands we took from him."

That caught Sokka's attention. He leaned forwards in his seat with a slightly skeptical expression and to get a closer look at what Arnook thought the Fire Lord cared about more than his territory. He was almost certain that there was no object that valuable. The door flaps opened, and he saw that he was right: It wasn't a thing they brought in. It was a person.

A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, and that you'll keep reading as I update. Special thanks to my beta, temarixshikamaruluva. She's a lot of fun to work with and a great editor. Please drop me a review if you have time. Concrit is especially appreciated.


	2. Gifts

**The Seeing Bowl, Chapter Two: Gifts**

After spending days in near darkness, the light in the icy hallway burned Zuko's eyes. It didn't help that he had a nasty headache from whatever they'd sedated him with after his latest escape attempt. He had no idea why they had stopped forcing the sickly sweet concoction on him, but he doubted it was anything good. They probably wanted him to be fully aware when they executed him. Although his thoughts were no longer slow and syrupy, he still lacked the coordination to firebend without hurting himself, or even to fight hand-to-hand.

He was cold. They'd tried to force some Water Tribe clothes on him, but he'd refused to put them on. He had stopped shivering, and he wondered vaguely if he was developing frostbite. He'd never experienced it before, but he remembered Azula mentioning it as potential hazard for any long term siege against the Northern Water Tribe.

Zuko was half marched, half dragged through the curtains at the end of the hallway and into an even brighter chamber, then up onto a slightly elevated dais. Hundreds of blue eyes were staring up at him from their seats at the long tables. The scent of cooked meat and strange spices reached his nose. He'd been fed, but his stomach still rumbled at the thought of warm meat.

Zuko was being steered towards a group of people seated at a table a the end of the hall. He recognized a few of them. The Water Tribe Chief, who had come to inspect him once or twice, was there, as were several of the near-identical earthbenders who had guarded him. He also saw the tall Earth Kingdom official with the goatee. Zuko had only seen him once before, and he didn't want to recall that occasion. He nearly lost his footing as he dug is heels into the icy ground and struggled to walk under his own power rather than be dragged along. He was going to go to his death like the son of the Fire Lord should, with his head held high.

He expected to be brought before the chief, or the Earth Kingdom official, but instead he felt the blunt end of a spear against his back, forcing him to kneel at one end of the table, directly in front of a girl with striking white hair. Before one of the guards pushed his head down, he realized that she must have been close to his own age.

"To my daughter," said the chief, his voice echoing in the silent room, "I offer the son of Fire Lord Ozai and former crown prince of the Fire Nation as a prisoner to do her bidding."

Zuko opened his mouth to shout something, maybe a refusal, maybe a curse, but one of the guards clamped a hand over his mouth. He bit down, hard, and tasted blood. The guard yelped and pulled his wounded hand away, then cuffed him on the back of the head. Zuko bit down on his tongue to keep from wincing, and he felt dizzy for a few moments. He was sure that if it wasn't for the tight hold the guards had on both of his arms, he would have crumpled to the ground. Through his rage, Zuko could feel an angry howl building in his chest. He looked up into the eyes of the white-haired girl, and what he saw made him pause. Her face was blank, but her eyes were angry. She stood.

"Father, is this boy meant to be mine, to do with as I please?" she asked without taking her eyes off of the restrained prince.

The chief nodded. "As you please," he said.

"Then I free him."

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><p>Katara couldn't believe what she was hearing. Chief Arnook might not have said it outright, but he was making the Fire Nation prince a slave. That was unheard of. She knew from her weekly history lectures with Yue and the other young ladies that long ago there had been a practice of penal servantitude in the Water Tribe, but even that was regarded as a barbaric today. She looked at Yue with wide eyes.<p>

Those who didn't know the princess well wouldn't have noticed the slight shift in Yue's posture, but Katara could see that she was already beyond being shocked. Yue had the stare of righteous anger that she only used when her people were being mistreated. She stood up, and Katara found herself feeling a little sorry for Chief Arnook. When Yue spoke in a cool voice and freed the Fire Nation Prince, the young waterbender cringed.

Even though it was nearly midnight when the feast ended, Katara had trouble getting to sleep. Her spacious room, which adjoined Yue's suite, seemed barren. The walrusbear bone chairs, which framed the pelt draped doors, looked like skeletal hands, and the fire in the stone hearth at the foot of her bed threw eerie shadows that shifted and swelled across the walls. It felt the same as when she had first been invited to sleep at the palace, too large and too empty of familiar faces. Finally, after tossing and turning for what felt like hours, she climbed out of her pile so furs, put on a pair of boots, and slipped through the main doorflap and into the palace hallways.

She wandered aimlessly, a small globe of glowing water hovering above one hand, until she found herself in the kitchen, alone with the cooling ovens.

The Fire Nation boy had been taken away without the chief indicating where he was to be kept, and there was nothing like a jail cell in the palace itself. Katara hesitated for a moment, and she was suddenly sure of where he was. She crossed to the storeroom and, water globe in hand, walked confidently toward the back of the room. When she reached the long brass dish, she turned in a slow circle and peered through the shadows. She inched forward and held out her water globe, allowing the gentle light to brighten the area.

"Hello?" she called. There was no answer, but Katara clearly heard something moving to her right. She walked determinedly towards it, cursing when she banged her shin on a box of crockery before continuing at a more reasonable pace. She soon came upon an over-sized steel cage that was tucked between walrusbear-bone shelves and beneath a group of damp nets. The cage was nearly a head taller than Katara and spanned the length of her arms, from fingertip to fingertip. It had a solid metal bottom and an open barred metal top that would allowed the water droplets from the drying nets to fall into the cage and occasionally strike the boy who was huddled in one corner. His even breathing indicated that he was asleep.

"Wake up," whispered Katara. He didn't move. She knelt down beside his sleeping form and repeated it, louder, and he still didn't move. She frowned slightly and reached through the cage bars to shake his shoulder, then pulled back skittishly when he stirred. She leaned forward again when the silence continued, and she was beginning to think he hadn't really woken up at all when he had been paraded at the feast.

"Go away." His voice was gravelly, and he sounded younger than she had imagined. Thinking back on the evening, she knew he had looked about Yue's age, but it was hard to think of a Fire Nation prince with an adolescent voice.

Katara didn't say anything, and she held out her water globe to get a better look at him. She tilted her head to the side. He didn't look like a monster, or the son of a monster. He looked like a sleepy teenager. He shifted slightly, and his straggly hair fell off to one side, revealing an angry bruise on the side of his forehead. It looked old.

"Go away, peasant," he hissed. He stood up with his knees bent and turned to glared down at her before he stumbled and grabbed one of the bars of his cage for support. His other hand clutched his forehead, and he grunted in pain. "Damn it!"

Katara grabbed the hand held that held the bar and pulled him up against the side of the cage, then tried to tug his head down by his hair.

"Let go!" yelled the boy.

"Be quiet," said Katara, and brought her globe closer to examine his bruise.

"I'll kill you," he muttered. "I'll kill all of you, and I'll melt your damn city and no one will remember any of you filthy peasants."

Katara narrowed her eyes at the bruise on his forehead and winkled her nose when a small trickle of blood fell from a cracked scab at his hairline. She should just leave. He didn't want her help, and he certainly didn't deserve her help. He was not just Fire Nation, he was the son of the Fire Lord. It didn't matter if he didn't look like a monster. He _was _a monster, and he deserved any punishment that he received.

She sat up on her knees, ready to head back to her quarters, and tore her eyes away from the disoriented Fire Nation prince. Her hold on him tightened, and she glared hard into the darkness. An uncomfortable lump formed in her throat. She couldn't let go of his arm.

She closed her eyes tightly before regarding the prince again. He was barely aware of her presence. Her lip gave a small quiver. Defeated, she reformed her globe into a glove around her hand and held it against his bruise. She ignored that she was healing the son of the man who was responsible for the murders of her mother and most of her tribe, and instead tried to concentrate on feeling the chi and blood flow through his body. There was a tangle of chi and reduced blood flow in part of his brain. They matched the descriptions Yugoda had given for lingering effects of concussions. Healing such damage was complicated, and Katara had only practiced on the carved chi paths of Yugoda's dummy. But she was almost certain that no one else would be foolish enough to heal the son of the Fire Lord. She scowled darkly when she felt a twinge of sympathy for the boy in front of her.

She went to work on his damaged tissue, but hesitated when her eyes locked with the Fire Nation boy.

Although he held mercifully still as she worked on his wounds, he still gripped the bars of his cage tightly and glared at her.

Katara wondered if she looked as angry as he did. She forced herself to tear her gaze away and continue healing. She refused to look towards his eyes again. It would drive her mad. He had no right to be so angry with her, and it was impossible that he hated her more than she hated him.

It took a good half hour, and when she was done, Katara was torn between satisfaction in her work and shame for helping a Fire Nation prince. The brain injury was fully healed, and there would be no lingering effects. She'd even gotten rid of the bruise, more out of habit than intention.

"You should be grateful. I'm not sure what you did to earn that, but I wouldn't do it again," she told the boy, avoiding his gaze. She turned away and crossed her arms over her chest. "There's no one else here who would heal you," she added bluntly, looking back over her shoulder.

He cautiously felt at the spot where the external injury had been and stared at the floor. Katara waited a few seconds to see if he would say or do anything, but he didn't, not until she had turned and started to walk away.

"Thank you." It was grudging and quiet, but he said it.

Katara paused for a moment, then continued on her way without a response.

* * *

><p>The day after the feast, the trainee warriors were allowed to sleep in a full two hours, but Sokka woke up at the usual hour despite his tiredness. He wasn't the only one. Most of the younger boys - the ones who hadn't been allowed more than one cup of ice wine - were awake by the time the barracks gong rung in the seventh hour of the day. It was still dark outside, and this soon after the winter solstice, there wouldn't be light for hours, but Sokka was wide awake and still excited enough over his father's return that he didn't even think about going back to sleep. He huddled with some of the other boys near a dim oil lamp, talking rapidly about the warriors' return.<p>

"My father says that on Ember Island, they found one of the Fire Lord's estates. He brought back a album full of portraits and stuff to prove it too. He's going to show me after training today," said Nomoak, who was in his second year of training, one ahead of Sokka.

"Pigbullshit," said Hahn. He was the same age a Nomoak, and the son of a prominent shipbuilder. In Sokka's opinion, he was a self-absorbed show-off. "I won't believe it till I see it."

It was difficult to tell in the dim light, but Nomoak seemed to go red. "I can't show you," he said. "I wasn't supposed to tell anyone, because the Chief wanted to give them to the Earth Kingdom guys."

Hahn snorted. "I knew it." He turned to Sokka, who had been uncharacteristically quiet during the conversation. "What about your dad, Sokka? From what the Chief said, he should have some great war stories."

Sokka turned slightly red himself. He couldn't say that his dad had refused to tell him about any of the battles.

After a moment of panic, he leaned his head back on his hands and shrugged nonchalantly. "Just the usual stuff," he said. "We didn't really have a chance to talk strategy, what with the Chief wanting to talk to him."

"What about the ghost town?" asked Okue. He was almost sixteen, and the oldest one in the group. He was a little dense, but Sokka liked him okay, and knew that his father was a friend of Hakoda's. "Did he tell you anything special about that?"

His eyes darted between Okue and Hahn, who was staring him down skeptically. "Ah, I don't know," said Sokka quickly. "Why don't you tell me what you know, and I'll see if I've got anything to add."

"Okay," said Okue. "I just know the basics: they found this ghost town, you know? Totally deserted, like everyone just packed up and left. They split up to look around, and no one found anything other than some empty houses, only your dad passed out."

"What?" asked Hahn, leaning forward. "This I've got to hear."

Okue shrugged. "That's all I know," he said. "They split up, and then they found the Chief's Second passed out in an alley." He turned to Sokka. "So did he tell you anything else?"

Sokka frowned. "No," he said slowly. "He didn't."

Just then the door flap to the barracks was pulled back and Sergeant Bokta marched in, banging his handheld gong.

"Rise and shine, boys!" he shouted. "Got a little surprise for you!"

There was a chorus of groans from the older boy's end of the barracks, and Paktu, who had lantern duty this week, went to light the rest of the barracks lights.

Sergeant Bokta made his way up and down the row of bunks, banging his gong, while Sokka and the others took advantage of their early start to get dressed and roll up their sleeping furs.

When everyone was assembled, Bokta hung his gong up by the doorway and turned to face the trainees. Sokka was expecting him to dress down the ones who hadn't gotten ready for the day's training neatly or quickly enough, and was kind of looking forward to it since it was going to be the older boys for once. Instead, Bokta just stood there for a moment, looking almost uneasy. Then he resumed his usual gruff sergeant's face and spoke to someone outside the door.

"Bring him in, Corporal."

A man Sokka didn't recognize came in, pushing the the Fire Nation prisoner from the feast in front of him.

"This," said Sergeant Bokta, "is Crown Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. Care to say hello, Your Royal Highness?"

The prisoner stared straight ahead, ignoring his surroundings.

"Apparently not," said Sergeant Bokta. "Zuko here has been made a ward of the Tribe, due to the mercy of Princess Yue. Since we don't have anywhere else to put him, he'll be staying with you boys. Keep an eye on him. He's not to practice any martial skills or so much as touch a weapon, and above all he is not to firebend, _ever_," he said, giving a sturdy shove to the Fire Nation prince, who somehow managed to keep his footing. Frowning slightly, Bokta turned to the prisoner. "You know you have nowhere to escape to. It's frozen tundra on three sides of the city and even colder ocean on the other. Behave yourself and you'll be treated fairly."

The prisoner's hands were untied, and the corporal backed away from them. Zuko just stood where he was, staring obstinately forward.

"Well," said Sergeant Bokta, "now that you've met your new barracks-mate, time for the morning run."

* * *

><p>Yue had dismissed Katara from her duties for the day, supposedly to give her some time with her family. Katara suspected that in reality, at least part of the reason was that Yue needed some time alone. In any case, Katara was relieved. Last night's events, both in the grand hall and in the storage room, were bothering her.<p>

Hakoda was in meetings with the Chief until early that afternoon, and Katara spent the first half of the day with her grandmother, airing out her father's room and making a Southern-style late lunch. Sokka came home shortly after noon, and didn't even try to sneak a bite of fish stew. He paced back and forth in the main corridor of the house, between the front door and through the kitchen, grimacing on and off. When Katara couldn't stand the tension any longer, she demanded to know what was wrong.

"The Fire Nation prisoner is in my barracks," he said without stopping his pacing.

Katara nearly jumped guiltily as she recalled the boy she had healed the previous night. "W-What? Why?" asked Katara.

Sokka shrugged. "Apparently they don't have anywhere else to keep him. At least this way he'll be watched."

Kanna, who was chopping saltwater parsley near the central fire, frowned. "Katara told me what happened last night. Princess Yue did the right thing, but I don't like this. I worry about you enough as it is, Sokka."

"What's this?" asked her father's voice from the doorway. He crossed the room quickly to hug his mother and take a deep whiff of the stew.

"I hear they're keeping the prisoner in Sokka's barracks," said Kanna with a serious undertone.

Hakoda frowned and nodded. "I'll talk to the Chief about it," he said. "And see what we can do."

"Enough about him," said Katara with forced brightness. She politely picked the spoon out from Kanna's hand and began filling the bowls. "This is supposed to be family time, and lunch is almost ready. Why don't we talk about something else?" She smiled widely. "So Dad...what's this I hear about a ghost town?"

* * *

><p>After lunch, Hakoda went into his sleeping room and returned with a heavy looking canvas bag. Smiling, he sat with his family.<p>

"I've brought back something for you, Mother," he said to Kanna, and pulled out two metal cooking pots, highly valued in the Water Tribes, and an ornamental glass vase with a beautiful turquoise glaze.

"Are those from the Fire Nation?" Sokka asked eagerly. He leaned over Katara's shoulder to get a closer look.

Katara gave him an elbow to the ribs, which Sokka ignored.

"No," said Hakoda. "They're Earth Kingdom made, from a port we stopped at on the way home," he said and pulled out a bundle of folded maps. " As are these. For you, Sokka."

Sokka grabbed them, quickly undid the twine holding the maps together and unfolded the top one, smoothing it incessantly into his lap. "They're maps of the Earth Kingdom?" he asked without looking up.

"And the Fire Nation," added Hakoda.

"Nice," said Sokka with a quickly growing grin, and he began unfolding the other maps.

"And for Katara," Hakoda said, his smile stiffening, "I have two gifts."

The first was an Earth Kingdom story scroll, a retelling of the tale of Oma and Shu. The second was a misshapen wooden bowl with chipped white paint. It looked as though it were a stump of a tree with a rounded bottom and had been hollowed out by an amateur sculptor. She could hold it in two palms, one if she was careful, and it felt far lighter than it should have. The face of an animal she had never was carved in the bottom of the bowl, with feline features and a bird's beak. Katara traced the grooves along the bottom of the bowl.

"This is from the Southern Water Tribe, isn't it?" she asked reverently.

Hakoda gave a slight squeeze to Katara's shoulder and observed the bowl. "I can't be too sure," he said, and turned away. "We found it in the Fire Nation."

Kanna took her son's position beside Katara.

"Ah, it nearly looks like a seeing bowl," she said nodding. "Probably a replica."

"A seeing bowl?" asked Katara.

"A tool," clarified Kanna, "for a very old Southern waterbending technique." She gave Katara a sharp look. "I'm fairly sure it's not real, but the old coot Master Pakku would probably take it away anyway. Don't let him see this. It's yours."

"Right," said Katara. She stared into the eyes at the bottom of the bowl, and for a moment, she thought they were staring back.

* * *

><p>AN: Thanks once more to all of you for reading, and to temarixshikamaruluva for going above and beyond as a beta reader. Reviews appreciated, concrit adored.


	3. The Barracks and the Bowl  Interlude 1

**The Seeing Bowl, Chapter Three: The Barracks and the Bowl**

Zuko didn't think of the bunk he slept in as his. The cold and the increasingly decrepit state of his clothes had forced him to accept Water Tribe clothing, but it certainly wasn't his clothing. It had probably belonged to someone who had died fighting against his father's army. Those stupid Water Tribe peasants. They should have just surrendered rather than draw out the war.

He punched out in front of himself in a firebending motion without expelling any flames. He looked to either side, almost daring someone to wake up and witness his actions, but they just kept on sleeping. He had noticed that many of them had put daggers under their pillows the night after he arrived, and most of them kept up the practice.

A small flame formed in his palm, but he snuffed it out a moment later. He was tempted to venture another escape attempt, but he knew that it wouldn't work, at least not without some planning. During his first two weeks in the Water Tribe barracks, he'd had three escape attempts. At the time, he hadn't tried too hard, since his main objective had been to test the defenses of the Water Tribe, and he didn't want them knowing how strong he was.

On his first attempt, he hadn't made it past the practice yard, and on his second attempt he barely made it out of the barracks. On his third and most successful attempt, he had taken a more passive approach and tried to take advantage of the Water Tribe's trusting nature. He made his move in broad daylight, when Sergeant Bokta was demonstrating several ineffective methods of taking down a firebender. He'd walked casually out of the barracks compound with his hood up and waved at the guards. They'd assumed he was one of them.

Outside of the barracks, the security had been nonexistent. When he'd snuck by the big igloo, they called a palace, he had passed close to the Water Tribe Princess. He was almost certain she had spotted him, but for some reason she'd barely batted an eye. In fact, he swore that she had smiled at him.

He hadn't been caught until he reached the docks and that was partially because he had hesitated when he found that the only oceangoing vessels in the harbor were Earth Kingdom ships, and he didn't want to encounter that tall Earth Kingdom official again. He preferred to take his chances with the Water Tribe barbarians.

Since that attempt he'd noticed two or three warriors doing a poor job of spying on him whenever he was outside of the sleeping quarters. He was also forced to wear bright red armbands on both forearms, on top of his clothing, marking him as the Fire Nation prince.

Zuko had since decided that seeing as he was stuck on this iceberg for a while, he had to become familiar with it. When he escaped, he should be able to offer some valuable information to his father about this place that had somehow managed to resist the Fire Nation for nearly a hundred years.

It wasn't going well. He'd been here over two months so far and had yet to see any evidence of the Northern Water Tribe's supposed adaptability and durability. Sure, they had plenty of warriors, but practicing menial chores such as hunting and fishing were as time consuming as learning proper combat - and they were doing a mediocre job of that at best. He was certain that he could beat all of the boys his own age, most of the older ones, and some of the adults as well, without even having to use firebending. It didn't make him too confident though. The last time he had seen Azula, she just turned twelve, and she had been able to make child's play of all but the most skilled warriors. By now, her firebending was probably not far off from their father and Uncle Iroh's skills.

He scowled. She was back home, training every day with the best teachers in the world, and he was a prisoner, stuck in the North Pole. He wished that their fates had been reversed, but that would never have happened. She was too cunning to get captured when they were attacked, and if she had been caught, she probably would have assassinated the ruling family and escaped back home in the time he'd been here.

Jealously boiled inside of him. He had to find a way to practice firebending, real firebending. He formed a small flame in either palm but closed his hand on it a moment later.

When he'd first come here, he needed close to twelve hours of sleep a day, the limited hours of sunlight leaving him exhausted. Luckily, it seemed as though the days had gotten longer since he'd first arrived in the North Pole. He would have more time to explore, and maybe he could find an area where he could practice firebending in secret.

Outside the barracks, the gong rang for lunch. Zuko slid out of the bunk and made his way towards the barracks dining hall. It had snowed all of yesterday, but sometime in the night a warm wind rolled in over the northern mountains, raising the temperature above freezing for several hours. When Zuko had finally woken up, he had been excited at the familiar sensation of real warmth - until he had stepped outside and slipped on a thick sheet of black ice. He earned a large welt on the back of his head as well as a loud round of laughter and snide remarks from a group of warriors. Afterwards he had been too furious and sore attempt his usual morning exercises.

The Water Tribe barbarians would surely do something unpleasant if they caught him practicing anything that vaguely resembled martial arts, but they could hardly do anything more than glare if he just did hot-squats and stretches, or ran the perimeter of the training yard.

Zuko ate alone, just as he always did. The food tasted unpleasantly fishy, except for the porridge, which was just bland. When he was done, he went out to the training yard. He shouldn't have slept so late. He was letting this place defeat him. He wondered if it was the tough terrain and climate, not the people, that had kept the Fire Nation at bay.

Half way through a set of push-ups, a wad of snow and ice whacked him on the back of his head, shattering on impact. Zuko sprung to his feet, facing the attackers in one smooth motion, ready to firebend. It took all his control not too lunge at them.

Three boys stood there, two laughing and one, somewhat younger, grinning nervously at his fellows.

"Nice one, Nomoak," said shorter of the laughing boys. The younger boy grinned wider. The tallest of the group leaned down and scooped up a handful of the relatively soft packed snow at their feet, shaped it into a rough ball and lobbed at Zuko.

Zuko sidestepped and glared at the group. Then, keeping a rare level head, he stomped off toward the barracks. But when another mixture of snow and ice whacked his skull, he immediately whipped around and charged towards the Water Tribe boys. His wrist twitched, but he managed to withhold the urge to firebend them into the spirit world. For a moment they looked genuinely afraid. Then his foot skidded on a patch of ice.

Falling forwards, he barely managed to get his hands in front of himself before his face met the ice. He rolled back onto his heels in a low crouch. Again, wild laughter erupted from the boys. Instead of rushing at them again, Zuko turned around and headed towards the barracks with a twinge of despair.

* * *

><p>The day the Earth Kingdom delegation was due to leave, Chief Arnook bade a formal farewell to Grand Secretariat Long Feng at the docks. As the two of them walked from the gondola platform to Long Feng's ship, they spoke.<p>

"This has been a remarkable experience, Chief Arnook. I have been fortunate to learn so much about your culture, and I must say that I am impressed," said the Secretariat.

The Chief nodded. His eyes followed Long Feng's and together they observed the calm ocean. "I'm glad to have been able to share our ways with one so appreciative of them."

"I was particularly impressed with your Spirit Oasis," continued Long Feng. " It was an honor to be allowed to view such a sacred place. It is almost as though one could feel the presence of the Moon and Ocean Spirits."

Arnook smiled and nodded. "I know what you mean."

"It is remarkable, really," said Long Feng. "You can nearly believe they touch the world in that place."

Arnook smile broadened. "Tui and La's presences are felt strongly in the Oasis."

"There are rumors in the Earth Kingdom of similar sanctuaries." Long Feng paused, but when Arnook didn't respond, he spoke again. "I have recently been inclined to believe that rumors of spiritual presence hold credibility," Long Feng suggested. "A... friend, informed me of an owl spirit who holds a library in the middle of the Si Wong desert. Fascinating, isn't it?"

"Very."

There was a brief flicker of annoyance across the Grand Secretariat's face. He let the silence hang for a few moments before continuing. "It leads me to wonder if the Spirit Oasis does have a real connection to the waterbending spirits."

Arnook's expression was unreadable. "I see that you are knowledgeable of the spirit world," he commented.

"Purely academic."

"Of course." Their eyes locked in a stalemate and finally, Arnook turned so his back was to the ocean. He scanned the platform before finally focusing on Long Feng. "Well, from an academic perspective, I would assure you that Tui and La are more present in the Oasis than anywhere else in the world." Arnook nodded, then continued. "Without their presence, my daughter would not be with us today."

Long Feng's expression was stony apart from a slowly raised eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes," said Arnook. "Her white hair is a symbol of that favor."

A small smile formed on Long Feng's face. "Well, the Princess is a remarkable young lady in many ways," he said. "I have no doubt that when the time comes there will be a great deal of competition for her hand. Perhaps you will even receive suits from outside your Tribe."

"Perhaps," said the Chief.

"In any case," said Long Feng, "I am sure she will honor the spirits' blessing."

* * *

><p>Katara's life in the palace had quickly gone back to normal following the return of the fleet and Yue freeing the Fire Nation prince. There was some tension between Yue and Chief Arnook, but with the Chief so busy meeting with Lady Lokoa, Katara's father, and the Earth Kingdom Grand Secretariat, it had rarely been expressed. No one had mentioned that Zuko had been healed, and it made Katara wonder if anyone even noticed.<p>

Katara had already read the scroll about Oma and Shu twice. She'd heard of the story of the first earthbenders in her history lessons, but the version her father had brought her was less historic and filled with much more romance and action. Originally, she'd placed the imitation seeing bowl on display on the top of her wardrobe chest, but after waking up several time to find it staring at her, she'd relegated it to the bottom of the chest. It remained there until the day Yue asked her about it.

"Sokka mentioned your father brought you a Southern Water Tribe antique," Yue said one day, about a month after the fleet returned.

Katara shrugged. "Gran-Gran doesn't think it's real."

"May I see it?" asked Yue.

"Sure," said Katara, and a wicked grin formed on face, "but first you have to tell me what you were doing with my brother."

Yue raised her chin and managed to put on her best princess face all the way from the sewing room to Katara's quarters, but she was wasn't able to hide the slight blush that crept onto her face. Once inside, Katara pulled the bowl out from beneath layers of furs and thick fabrics and held it up for Yue.

"It's very beautiful," said Yue as she reached out to touch it tentatively. When Katara looked questioningly at her, she elaborated. "If you look at pictures of the very old totem-poles, the ones made of thick logs, they look like this. This one isn't as well made as those, but it has the same style, and sense of history." She ran her fingers along the carving of the catlike face. "You shouldn't hide it."

Katara huffed and sank into the furs on the floor, the princess joining her a moment later. She slumped over and picked at the pelts absentmindedly. "I feel like it's always staring at me."

Yue raised a delicate brow, smiling, but sobered quickly when Katara continued to look bothered. "Still, it's part of your culture, isn't it?" asked Yue gently as she shuffled towards her friend.

"It's just a replica," said Katara.

"What's it a replica of?" asked Yue as she pulled her face into the bowl to examine it closer.

"It's something called a seeing bowl," said Katara. "Gran-Gran said that's some kind of waterbending tool. I didn't really ask her about it though." She unintentionally pulled out a thick ball of fur when she pulled too hard on the rug. She brought the mess in front of her face with a scowl before throwing it away.

Yue giggled. "Well," she said brightly, "maybe you should try it."

Katara frowned. She opened her mouth to say she didn't have the first idea how to use a seeing bowl, or even what one was for, but something about the carvings caught her eye. She'd never noticed it before, but she was sure that the lines etched into the bowl seemed to echo the chi channels in Yugoda's dummy.

"I guess it couldn't hurt," said Katara.

She opened the waterskin she carried with her on lesson days and poured enough to fill the bowl half way. She felt the grooves of the wood between her fingers and slowly, maneuvered the water along them. It took a moment to notice that it felt similar to when she healed someone. It wasn't like a practice dummy, it was like living person. There was chi in the bowl, following her bending, and, unlike when she did healing work, she could feel it whispering to her and drawing her in.

Her sight blurred and patches spotted her vision until her surroundings turned into a formless muddle. She inhaled sharply, feeling as though she had come into sync with the water.

Her vision returned, but it was still blurred and tinted green, as though she were looking through a stained glass window. She found herself surrounded by a mossy, overgrown forest, covered in a dense fog, but she had an undimmed view of a strange looking animal, only a few paces in front of her. She instantly recognized it as the living equivalent of the animal whose face was carved into her bowl. It was standing on spindly brown bird's legs. The large black eyes, which resembled an owlfalcon's, were set at either end of the wide face. Despite their uniformity, Katara was sure it was staring straight at her. The short prickly fur, which covered the face and pointed ears, was white, aside from grey circles around the eyes. A protruding beak that appeared as though it were carved of old ivory gestured to the side, motioning to her.

The image faded slowly, and it was replaced with another.

Katara saw a girl, about half a head taller than herself, running through a dense, decaying pine forest with a green shoulder bag bumping against her back. Her ragged brown hair barely made it past her ears and she had a short blade tucked into her belt.

She could hear the sounds of heavy breathing, feet running across the overgrown forest floor, and the low hum of a river flowing nearby.

An arrow whistled past the girl, but she kept running to the river.

Katara's vision followed her.

The girl then turned to face her attackers, and Katara's eyes widened in shock when she saw that the girl had her own face. Her features were more mature and less rounded, she had dark circles beneath her eyes, and her skin was paler than she'd ever seen it, but Katara couldn't deny she was looking at herself.

The vision of her older self bent her knees low before she swung her arms forward, following through with her whole body. The river moved with her, and raised into a towering wave. The movements were inelegant, and the wave rippled as though it could topple any moment, but it was still waterbending. Not healing, but the practical combat that girls were forbidden to study. The wave rolled in a fury, aimed at shadowy figures and when the water calmed, the older version of herself was gone.

The corners of her vision darkened before closing in quickly, swallowing her in darkness. Reality bled back into her consciousness.

"Katara?" said Yue. "Are you alright?"

Exhaustion made her sway, but after a moment she was able to right herself, and pull away from the bowl. She was back in her quarters, and Yue looked was seated beside her, looking concerned.

"I saw... I'm not sure what I saw," said Katara. "I-I think it was me, but it wasn't exactly. I was older, and I was bending." She said the last part with awe. Unable to contain her excitement, she beamed and rocked back and forth like a child. She picked up the empty bowl, which had spilled its contents onto the furs. "Yue, I don't think this is a replica."

**Interlude One: To Serve the Fire Nation**

Piandao came before the Fire Lord dressed simply and carrying no sword. The first was his habit, the second standard protocol. They met in the Fire Lord's private study, which demonstrated a measure of respect for Piandao and also ensured privacy. The only window was open to the gardens, which were being drenched in a heavy downpour.

The Fire Lord sat on a raised dais, behind a screen of low flames, with his mahogany writing desk in front of him. He was reading the latest reports on the cost of rebuilding his fleet as the master swordsman waited quietly for his attention to turn him.

The Fire Lord scrawled a note on a sheet of rice paper and motioned for the servant standing beside the door to take it. The screen of flames parted briefly.

"Send this to General Shinu," said Ozai. After the servant bowed and left, he turned to Piandao with a heavy gaze. "Master Piandao, do you consider yourself a patriot?"

"Certainly, Fire Lord Ozai," he replied.

"It is strange then that you have not applied your legendary skills to our war."

Piandao lowered his eyes deferentially and gave a seated bow. "With all due respect, My Lord," he said, "no one man can turn the tide of a war."

The Fire Lord narrowed his eyes, and the flames in front of him rose. He stood. "Your lack of determination is disheartening." He paused. "If you were to train others, your loyalties would no longer be questioned."

"I see," said Piandao as he looked towards where he usually carried his sword. He frowned thoughtfully and regarded his sovereign again. "Not everyone is suited to the art of the sword."

"Of course," said Lord Ozai. "You will select your students from the Elite Forces. Most will be worthy."

Piandao bowed from his seated position and held the pose as he spoke. "When would Your Lordship-"

"Tomorrow," said the Fire Lord, and waved impatiently for Piandao to stand. "And there is no need for you to return to your lodgings. Quarters have been prepared for you in the palace." He turned his back on Piandao and gazed through the dim rain drenched window. "You are dismissed."

Piandao bowed again from the waist before departing silently.

Only a few minutes after he returned to his desk, there was a knock at the door. The parchment in his hands nearly burst into flames. "Yes."

General Shinu entered his study and knelt.

The Fire Lord frowned and motioned for him to speak.

He lowered his head. "The Princess Azula was again absent from the war meetings concerning the Earth Kingdom invasion of Tzu Li Island," he said.

Lord Ozai slammed his hand down on his desk and stood up. The flames in front of him doubled. "Where is she?"

The General hesitated. "We don't know, she's not in her quarters."

"Find her. Now," he ordered.

"Yes, My Lord," Shinu said quietly.

"And when you do, don't let her out of your sight," he said. "Have your best men follow her, I need to know what she's doing."

General Shinu lowered his head again. "Of course." He rose and left quickly.

The Fire Lord seethed and a small stream of smoke escaped from between his teeth. He took his seat behind his desk and returned to the letter to Lady Izumi he had started earlier that day. He had decided that offering allegiance was necessary to maintain the support of the Fire Nation nobles and continue the war. As much as he would have loved to see that woman fall, it would have to wait. Removing her from control of the mines and shipyards would remind her of the consequences of refusing him, and give her a taste of what she risked.

Your continued reluctance to provide metals and produce ships for the navy at the prices settled on by myself and your father is threatening the throne's agreement with your family. Due to your continued refusal to comply with your sovereign, the royal family will seize control over your facilities. You and your confederates will submit to my orders regarding the cost of materials and production. If you cooperate fully, you and your family will be compensated. I am aware that you have stewarded the mines and shipyards of your lands well. Perhaps there is a way that you may continue to do so.

As I have said, only myself and those bound to me can be trusted with the maintenance and growth of our navy.


	4. Learning

**T****he ****Seeing ****Bowl****, ****Chapter ****Four****: ****Learning**

The previous evening Katara had visited the barracks laundry room, doing her best to appear inconspicuous. When one of the senior warriors asked her what she was doing there, she'd nearly stumbled over herself trying to explain that she was picking up clothing for a boy in the palace. Her father always said she was a terrible liar. Luckily, the warrior barely seemed to care, and waved her away a moment later. In her haste, she'd picked out leggings that would barely fit more than a toddler and a parka that wouldn't be out of place on her father.

After getting the clothing, she had to figure out what to do about her hair. She considered just keeping the hood of her parka pulled up, but then she would look different than all of the boys she was trying to blend in with, and if a teacher requested that she remove her hood, she would be caught right away. She needed to cut her hair.

Katara asked Yue to do it for her. At first the princess had refused, and she'd tried to convince Katara to change her mind. A girl's hair was viewed as a sign of femininity. No girls in the Northern Water Tribe, apart from newborns, had short hair. Finally, Katara had to tell Yue the truth: She was going to sneak into waterbending practice.

Yue wasn't nearly as surprised as Katara thought she'd be. The Water Tribe princess said, in a somber tone, that she knew Katara was going to try and learn proper waterbending ever since she'd seen the vision of herself bending the seeing bowl.

Afterward, Yue gave in and trimmed her hair at the was much shorter than all other Water Tribe girls, but it was long enough that she didn't look like a boy with it down. She still dreaded the scolding she would undoubtedly receive from Lady Lokoa. At least she could tie her hair into a high tail with braids that would frame her face for when she went to practice. It wasn't as common as the warrior's wolf-tail, but it was good enough.

Katara planned on attending a class taught by Olkuk, a senior student of Master Pakku who often handled introductory lessons. She woke up too early the day of the waterbending practice and went down to the kitchens to pick up some sea prunes for breakfast. When she headed back to her room, she ate the sea prunes and then kept herself busy by pacing the floor and rereading the Oma and Shu scroll until it was time to get ready.

An hour before heading out, Katara managed to squeeze into the tights and put on the parka. It didn't look overly ridiculous because the parka covered most of her legs, hiding the tight strain of the leggings.

After tying her hair into an amateurish hightail and braids, she continued to pace her room incessantly until the time arrived. Katara showed up exactly when the lesson began, so she wouldn't have to talk to the other students before class. The lesson was being held at a small pond just outside of the warriors' barracks, and she prayed to Tui that Sokka wouldn't be around. It made her even more nervous, and slightly annoyed, that she was the tallest and clearly the oldest in the group; she'd turned thirteen a month ago. When Olkuk asked her name, she answered a bit too loudly.

"Kosa, sir," she said.

He hesitated a moment before continuing the attendance. When every student had introduced themselves, Olkuk counted them, looking slightly puzzled. "Did anyone sign up late?" he asked. "We seem to have an extra."

"I did, sir," said Katara. "Sorry."

"It's fine," he said. "Just don't extend that tardiness to class time. Now, we'll begin with stretching, then move on to basic stances."

For the first few minutes, Katara felt restless. They were only moving through positions, holding them for several seconds, before moving onto the next one. They weren't particularly difficult poses on their own, but after holding several with her arms extended, her limbs began to ache.

Luckily, it wasn't too long before they began real waterbending. It was basics, and some of it was similar to the bending she had attempted while she was in the Southern Water Tribe. At first they pushed and pulled the water. Most of the students were fairly awkward, and she was proud that she was one of the best in the group. But her confidence took a hit when they started streaming the water. About half of the students were able to stream water around them, but the other half couldn't even pull the water out of the pond. She was in the second group.

When she finally managed to pull the water up, she lost control a moment later, and ended up soaking her parka. "Come on water, work with me here!" she yelled. She blushed deeply when she got a few strange looks.

"Relax. It takes time," said Olkuk. He wove his arms and pulled out the water that had fallen onto her parka.

Katara touched her coat. It was completely dry. She stared back at Olkuk enviously. It would probably take months before she learned something as simple as that.

He smiled a bit. "Keep practicing," he said.

She nodded and pulled out a stream of water again. She spilt water on herself for a second time, but instead of losing her cool, she took a deep breath and kept on trying.

Katara was so concentrated on her bending, that she barely noticed when a group of warriors began running through their training area. She bit her tongue as she recognized some of them as Sokka's friends. She bowed her head slightly, stared at the water and begged for no one to notice her.

They sprinted by quickly, and after ten seconds without anyone passing beside her, she thought they had all gone. She hadn't seen Sokka, which was pure luck. Finally, she raised her head, and froze.

The Fire Nation Prince was staring at her.

She turned away instantly, but she felt his eyes boring into her back, and her face burned.

He couldn't have recognized her. When she'd healed him, he had barely been coherent. But she couldn't forget how he glared at her. She raised her eyes slightly, and he was still looking at her. She swore inwardly. If only he would move faster.

"Is something wrong, Kosa?"

Katara blinked and faced Olkuk. "Sorry! No, I'm okay." Her gaze flicked back to Zuko. He was finally entering the barracks training grounds. She breathed a sigh of relief and continued to practice her waterbending.

By the time the class was over, Katara was sore from using muscles she hadn't touched in years. She rushed back to the buffaloyak stable where she'd hidden her regular clothes, and changed and as quickly as she could, then snuck back into the palace through a side entrance and made her way to Yue's suite. She found the princess pacing nervously.

"I told you it would work," said Katara smugly, grinning from ear to ear.

Yue whirled to face her. "No one caught you?" she asked.

"Nope," said Katara without hesitating, but in the back of her mind she kept seeing Zuko. "It was great!" she added.

Yue gave a small smile, but shook her head. "Katara, I'm really not sure this is a good idea. What will you do if Master Pakku takes a turn teaching the beginner's class? He'd recognize you, no matter how you dress."

"I guess I'd just develop a sudden cold," said Katara flippantly. She paused for a moment, and her smile faltered. Master Pakku had been feuding with Katara's grandmother, Kanna, since the survivors from the Southern Water Tribe had come to the North Pole. Neither of them would explain why, but Pakku knew Katara's whole family on sight.

As the weeks passed, the sun began to rise earlier and set later. Zuko often found himself awake before the warrior trainees, but his body was slowly adjusting to his environment, and it was becoming easier to go to sleep while the sun was still out. It annoyed Zuko how easily he was adapting to this iceberg.

He had become more concerned last night when another pocket of heated air descended from the mountains, and he'd found the warmth uncomfortable.

It didn't help that Sergeant Bokta was beginning to treat him with respect. The Sergeant didn't trust him, none of them were that foolish, but they were allowing him some independence.

They had started to send him on ice fishing expeditions with the other boys in the barracks. He was never allowed to use or hold any weapon, apart from a dull pike for defending himself from any roaming predators. The thing could barely cause a flesh wound.

He'd also overheard the teachers debating whether or not to bring him on an extended hunting trip that was leaving today. Bokta in particular wanted him to earn his keep.

"If you're going to be here, you might as well be useful. You can't expect us to continue feeding a Fire Nation Prince," the sergeant had said the first time he brought Zuko along on a fishing trip.

It was at that moment when it really dawned on Zuko that the Water Tribe had no intention of ever letting him leave. They meant to imprison him here until he died.

Despite the morning sunlight that streamed through the high windows, Zuko shivered beneath his thick fur blankets. He was going to get out of here. His current cooperation - or lack of escape attempts - was only to gain necessary information and allow the Water Tribe to let their guard down. They had an accepting nature, and it almost felt as though they expected him to accept them in return. Apart from being absolutely ridiculous, it really bothered him. He would never give in to them.

No captive would ever be treated with as much respect in his father's prisons. In the time he'd been in the Northern Water Tribe, most prisoners of the Fire Nation would have either gone mad, been killed, or committed suicide. But these Water peasants, they had even started to teach him skills necessary to survive in the tundra.

He wondered whether they thought he would use those skills to try to find a way off this iceberg. Maybe they were arrogant enough to believe that he was incapable of escaping.

Something poked him in the ribs. Zuko opened his eyes to see one of the trainees a little younger than him standing over him with an annoyed look.

"Get up," he said. "You're coming with us." The trainee - Zuko was pretty sure his name was Sokka - sounded disgusted with the last part.

"Going with you where?" asked Zuko, but the boy was already on his way out. Letting out a low sigh, he crawled out from between his blankets. He really hoped they weren't bringing him on the multi-day hunting trip. He had enough trouble from the trainees without them blaming him for slowing them down, which he would. Snowshoes really weren't his thing.

His fears were realized when he exited the barracks to see the trainees busy arranging their equipment on leather tarpaulins and rolling them into packs. They didn't use full packs for short fishing expeditions.

His appearance caught the attention of Sergeant Bokta. "Ah, I see Prince Zuko has awoken from his slumber." A few of the younger warriors smirked or snickered. "Sokka, get him ready to head out."

"But sir!" protested the boy beside him. His face had gone an angry red.

"Do it. Unless you want latrine duty for a month," ordered Bokta.

Sokka mumbled a few choice words under his breath - something about the similarities between dealing with latrines and firebenders - before motioning for Zuko to follow him. "So, do you know anything about hunting?"

"No."

"Great," he said snidely. "At least now I know why your people haven't tried to invade us yet."

Zuko was tempted to remind him that the Fire Nation had already destroyed their southern settlement, but glanced at the room filled with Water Tribe warriors and decided against it.

"Come on, boys!" shouted the sergeant. "Get those packs rolled. If we don't move out soon, we'll be going past dark!"

They snowshoed north for three days, up to the Krernertok Mountains. A few times Zuko swore that the group was trying to lose him, but he somehow managed to keep them within sight as he straggled behind.

At night they made small temporary igloos that could fit one or two people and dug out small caverns to hold their gear. The tundra was barren for the most part, but they sometimes spotted strange animals that Zuko had only seen in books. There were a few huge, shaggy elephantbears, and a horned muskwolf pack. In the distance, he could also see foxseals lazing by the coastline. He was sure that they would only have come up to his knee if he'd been able to get close enough. They didn't try to catch any of those animals. Hunting, Zuko had learned, was forbidden within two days of the city, so that animals wouldn't be driven away.

Late on the third day they reached their planned campsite at the base of a protected valley beside a steeply sloped mountain that had black rock, and only a few heavily concentrated pockets of snow. The shadows lay in the opposite direction, giving them a little extra warmth.

Sergeant Bokta and Corporal Torak watched as the trainees set up camp, inspecting how they built their shelters and piled up the dried seaweed they'd brought to make fires.

Once Zuko was done building his shelter, he didn't even bother offering his help to the Water Tribe boys. They would refuse him. When the time came for a dinner of dried fish and hard biscuits, Zuko sat by himself, several meters away from the fire-pit most of the warriors had

crowded around.

He hadn't figured out the trick to spark rocks yet. He considered firebending to light himself a fire, but if he was caught he wouldn't be surprised if they killed him. He settled for keeping himself warm with the Breath of Fire. No one noticed.

He went to sleep early, trying to block out the talking and laughing of the trainees.

Zuko was jolted awake by what sounded like a herd of komodo rhinos stampeding towards him. The ground trembled, his shelter shook, and he felt a few flakes of snow from the ceiling fall on his face. He quickly pulled himself up to rest on his knees and lit a small flame in his palm. He was forced to hunch his back because of the low ceiling. His igloo gave a violent shudder, and Zuko was almost certain the ceiling was going to cave. A loud, hollow thump collapsed onto his igloo.

Heavy silence followed, and all he could hear was the sound of his own laboured breathing.

He felt at where the entrance to the shelter had been, but his hand met a wall of snow.

Zuko had heard of avalanches before. One had buried an an entire battalion in the northern Earth Kingdom when he was ten. Almost all of the non-firebenders had been killed. The loss had derailed a major campaign, and his father, who had planned it, seethed for a week.

He never expected to experience the same.

Zuko didn't have much space in the shelter, but he managed to move his arm in a firebending gesture to summon a large flame above his hand. He held it up to the ceiling of the cavern and continued to fuel it with steady, controlled breathing. A small passage began to form, but after a few minutes, the air was as warm and thick, the floor was covered by half a foot of steaming water, floating with melting ice blocks. But he still felt cold and shivered.

He was lightheaded, his head pounded, and his heart was racing. A wave of sickness made him lose his footing. He slumped back to the ground with a splash and lost control of his firebending, allowing the flame to go out. Water rushed into his boots.

In the damp darkness, Zuko took a few deep breaths and tried to figure out what was happening to him. Suddenly, he remembered a lesson he'd received with Azula in the Fire Nation.

"_And__why__should__a__firebender__not__attempt__firebending__in__a__confided__area__?" __asked__the__teacher__. _

"_Because__they__will__use__up__all__of__the__available__oxygen__for__firebending__, __causing__them__to__suffocate__." __Azula__'__s__voice__rang__in__his__ears__. "__Also__," __she__added__, "__any__firebending__without__proper__ventilation__will__cause__a__build__up__of__toxic__gases__which__will__poison__and__quickly__kill__the__firebender__." _

He grimaced and clenched his eyes shut.

"Damn it," he swore breathlessly. He tried to remember what he had been taught to do if he was ever caught in a confined space, and he couldn't.

Zuko stood up with renewed vigor. He had to get out of here, now. There were probably only another few feet before he broke the surface. He stood below the narrow passage and taking deep breath, he ignited a powerful flame. All of his energy was focusing on breaking through, and he didn't even bother melting the water that was spilling on him and freezing a few seconds later. Although he was quickly losing the feeling in his ice-coated feet, he managed to climb up the side of the passage, moving himself and the flame closer to the surface.

He panicked when he inhaled and felt nothing but a burning sensation in his lungs. The oxygen was gone. He raised his hand higher and tried to release a large burst of flame, but instead it flickered and died. He scrambled up to the top of the tunnel and began clawing at the snow. Relief flooded him when a small opening formed, and he leaned his back against the narrow tunnel for support so he could begin tearing through the snow with both hands. When the hole was wide enough, and he pulled himself up and through.

Gasping, Zuko lay on the packed snow as he desperately tried to catch his breath. He felt numb from the ice that covered his face, hands and clothes. He was unable to move his feet or the hand he had used to make the passage.

Finally, he was able to pull himself up to a sitting position. He saw a group of Water Tribe warriors working to dig up their comrades who had built their shelters on the side of the camp closest to Zuko's, and who had also been buried.

Zuko brought his hands in front of him and grimaced. Both were swollen and bright red. When he tried to warm his hands and his feet, he nearly screamed in pain. He jerked backwards so he was lying back on the snow and knocked his head against the ground when his eyes began to tear.

Breathing heavily, he sat up again, and gulped when he saw the new state of his hands. He had blotches of dark skin, a darker tone than all of the Water Tribe's people, and he could see angry black sores forming. He doubted his feet were in any better shape. He guessed his firebending had sped up the blistering process.

He realized that back when he had been imprisoned in the cage in the Water Tribe, he most definitely had not had frostbite. This was frostbite.

Tentatively, he flexed his fingers. It caused shooting pain up his arms, but he could still do it.

He finally managed to stand up and continued to take deep breaths.

Only one corner of the camp had been buried, and Zuko's shelter had been the deepest in the avalanche. Most of the trainees and both the officers were digging through the snow with handheld shovels and every lantern the group had brought with them was lit. They'd placed stakes at what Zuko supposed were likely locations of other buried shelters.

One of the boys spotted Zuko and signalled to the others. Zuko approached them, with his legs trembling slightly. Another one of the trainees ran towards him, then stopped, and Zuko saw how his eyes landed on the red armbands which marked his identity. The trainee turned around and went back to digging.

Zuko stood rigid. Fury surged through him, but he kept his expression blank.

He should have just fled while the warriors were distracted, instead of joining up with their group. It was unlikely that he would make it far before he passed out and likely died, but that didn't matter. The alternative of helping these people made him want to vomit.

These people were his enemies.

"Zuko!"

It took him a while to realize someone was calling him. Normally when they said his name it sounded as though they were taunting him. He spotted the boy, Sokka, who had come to wake him the morning they'd left.

The boy motioned for him to come.

Zuko frowned and looked behind him at the vast tundra and the fierce winds. When he turned back it was to find himself almost face to face with Sokka.

"Will you help?" he asked. "And don't even think of running away - you'll die," he said matter-of-factly.

Zuko scowled. "Would you help the Fire Nation?"

He was unfazed. "Yes or no?" When Zuko remained silent, Sokka turned back towards his comrades. "Shovels are over there," he said pointing behind his shoulder. "But if you really want to help, I'm sure you'd be allowed to firebend."

Zuko perked up. He was certain that the boy was just trying to manipulate him, but the thought of firebending - without trying to hide it - was tempting.

He looked towards the tundra again and swore.

It was the kind of soft attitude that he had struggled against his whole life. He couldn't imagine what his father would do to him if he could see him now.

Zuko quickly made his was over to Sokka. "What's your plan?"

Sokka smirked slightly, before frowning in concentration. "Can you melt the snow in layers?" he asked. "Only thin layers so no one underneath gets burned. And we'll need to dig a channel so the water will go somewhere else." His frown deepened for a moment, and he took a step back to assess the area. "Your igloo should work."

Zuko hesitated but nodded. He remembered a firebending form called Burning the Plains that should work. He hadn't quite mastered it though.

Sokka told him to stay put and headed for the nearest group of diggers. After a quiet argument with their leader, an older trainee, the boys switched to digging a shallow canal to the top of the tunnel which led to Zuko's shelter. Some of the diggers from other groups were giving them strange looks, though they didn't pause in their own work.

Sokka motioned Zuko over and pulled out the marker stake. Sokka and the other boys moved to stand behind him. He tried to ignore the looks which ranged from surprise to suspicion to disapproval.

"Do it," said Sokka.

Zuko fought down a wince as he brought his hands up for a meditative pose and took a few deep breaths. He then lunged forward moved his searing limbs through the first stances of the Burning the Planes _*__P__lains__*_. A few angry shouts rang in his ears, but they were quickly silenced. The flames licked the snow like a thin spread, melting it, and water ran down the channel into the tunnel. He was lucky the stances didn't shift the position of his feet since he would have likely lost his balance. It was arm circle with a lunge, then the other, and finally he would bend his knees low and bring his hands down and spread them on either side of him. It was simple and rhythmic, but he could feel exhaustion setting in quickly. He even felt sweat forming on his forehead and the back of his neck.

"Good," said Sokka. "You guys go work on one of the other ones. Zuko, try to speed it up."

Zuko turned angrily. "Why don't you firebend them out of here?"

"Okay, okay. Take your time. There are only people's lives at stake."

Zuko gritted his teeth and began the form again.

Of the seven trainees buried in the snow, they reached six in time. Paktu had already collapsed by the time they reached him. He had no pulse, and his skin had frozen.

Nomoak, who hadn't been buried, but had been hit by the edge of the avalanche while using the latrine, had severe internal bleeding and lost consciousness on the march back to the city. He died a few minutes later.

No one said anything about what Zuko had done, but he knew that he had cleared the snow faster than any of the digging teams.

When Katara heard the hunters had returned early with the two bodies of two trainees, she'd feared the worst, and her instinct had been to run to make sure Sokka was safe. But instead, she reported to Yugoda. She knew that she would be able to help more if she coordinated with the other healers, but if she disagreed with whoever was in charge of triage about Sokka's care, there would be hell to pay.

Katara ran to the palace to join up with the other healers. She quickly scanned the great hall, which was divided into sections by walrusbear skins, looking for Sokka amongst the crowds of injured warriors. She finally spotted him. He didn't look injured, but he was still being tended to by a young girl who she didn't recognize. She felt instant relief and had to resist the urge to hug him. Instead she just gave him a smile and a wave from a distance, which he returned tiredly.

Katara joined up with a group of older students who were trying to cleanse the lungs of three trainees who had been trapped beneath the avalanche. The boys had severe poisoning from inhaling toxic gases and were coughing nonstop. One even passed out while she was working on him. Luckily, he seemed stable by the time she was done.

The great hall of the palace had become a makeshift healing centre, and was a blur of activity as women and girls rushed back and forth with bandages and buckets of clean and dirty water. More secluded rooms, hidden behind the staircases, were being used by Yugoda and the other experienced healers to heal the worst injuries.

Slowly, as most of the warriors were tended to, things began to slow down.

Three hours after the trainees returned, Ponko, one of Yugoda's youngest students, came to stand beside Katara. Katara hardly noticed as she tended to Hahn's dislocated shoulder.

Ponko cleared her throat loudly . "Yugoda says you have to take care of the prisoner."

"Who?" asked Katara, not really paying attention. "Hahn, I'm going to push it back in on three. Try not to brace yourself. One..."

"The prisoner," repeated Ponko.

"Two!" Katara forced Hahn's bone back into its socket with a sudden push. He shouted in pain, then turned to glare at her.

"You said on three!"

"You would have braced yourself," said Katara simply.

"Yugoda says you have to take care of the prisoner!" shouted Ponko.

"I heard you the first time, Ponko," said Katara. "What prisoner?" As soon as the words left her mouth, she knew exactly who the girl was talking about.

"The Fire Nation prisoner," said Ponko with a roll of her eyes.

Katara groaned. She'd nearly forgotten that Chief Arnook had approved Sergeant Bokta's request to bring the Fire Nation prince on the hunting trip.

"Where is he?" she asked.

Ponko shrugged and walked off.

Katara searched the the great hall without spotting him, and eventually began peaking into the side rooms, where she saw Yugoda. She took a tentative step inside the room, trying not to disturb the two patients who appeared to be asleep on cots.

"You're looking for Zuko?" asked Yugoda with tired brightness.

Katara nodded.

She patted the chair beside her. "I need to speak with you about him."

"What is it? Is he okay?" she asked with concern as she took the seat.

Yugoda smiled. "Don't worry, he's doing all right."

Katara's eyes widened and shook her head. "No - I wasn't -"

Her smile widened and raised her hand. "He has scarring in his lungs, and he has severe frostbite, but he will be okay. What I wanted to tell you was that he is the reason most of the warriors came back alive."

"Really?" She frowned and her brows knit together. "He helped us?"

"Yes. Sergeant Bokta was particularly emphatic about it." She gave Katara a proud look. "I only wanted to make sure you treated him fairly, but I guess I shouldn't have been so concerned."

Katara felt her face redden and opened her mouth to speak, but Yugoda raised her hand again.

"It' okay, child. You have compassion for everyone, it's what makes you strong."

Katara met Yugoda's level gaze and nodded.

"Now, Zuko is two rooms down. You should go to him," said Yugoda.

Katara bowed respectfully and left.

She found the prince on a cot in a small room, and it was secluded from the buzz of activity. He was asleep on his side with his back to her. A bucket of fresh water sat at the end of the cot. Katara walked around to the other side and bent down on her knees to examine the damage.

His badly frostbitten hands huddled together on top of his chest, which rose and fell quickly with his breath. She took one hand, pulled up his sleeve to see how far it went, and found her wrist snatched in a burning grip.

She fought down a wince and glared at her patient.

His hold loosened, and the blistered hand cooled.

Even after he blinked a few times, his gaze remained unfocused. "You're the one who healed me," he said. His voice was more gravely than before, a good indication of damage to his throat. He released her wrist.

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Katara, looking away while she shuffled closer to the cot. She was going to bend the water that she needed from the bucket, but stopped herself. Instead, she picked up the bucket and poured some water over his hands.

He closed his eyes tightly, and his expression twisted in pain.

Katara focused on the frostbite. On one side it covered his hand and forearm, but on the other it reached his shoulder.

"Don't lie to me," he said, gritting his teeth. "When I was in the cage, the night the chief tried to give me to that girl with the white hair - you healed me."

"Princess Yue," said Katara absentmindedly. "I'm her lady-in-waiting."

The prince was silent for a few moments while Katara tended to his frostbitten arm.

"Thank her, for me," he said quietly. "She didn't have to... to do what she did."

Katara stopped and looked him in the eye. He was staring at her calmly, but he was clearly disoriented, and she knew it was because his body was trying to dull the pain of the unthawing frostbite. It was also likely caused by the gases he had inhaled while trapped in the avalanche. His symptoms would be worse than the other warriors due to smoke inhalation if he had firebended his way out of the avalanche, which Katara thought was likely.

"But she's still my enemy," he said. "You all are."

She frowned and brushed her fingers over the blackened frostbite. With difficulty, she tried to understand why Zuko would help them. If they were still his enemy, there should be no reason to save Water Tribe lives. Perhaps he wanted to repay his debt to Yue. Her gaze went up to his eyes, and she nearly jumped when she saw him staring at her intently. She wisely went back to healing.

"You're a waterbender," he interrupted with a thoughtful expression.

She paused and raised a brow. "That's pretty clear," she said dryly. "Are you feeling lightheaded at all?"

He scowled. "No. What I meant was why wasn't there a waterbender with us on a hunting mission? It's shortsighted."

Katara pulled away angrily. "What?"

"Well, it is," he insisted. "Why didn't they bring a waterbender? They almost never do."

It had been a natural reaction to be furious when someone from the Fire Nation criticized her tribe, however something in his words rang true. She frowned and tried to logically contemplate what he said. Grudgingly, she agreed with him, but she would never voice it. "There were none available," she said evasively.

He stared at her blankly.

She flushed and fisted her hands at her sides. "I'm a healer."

"Even better," he said raising a frostbitten arm.

"No, that's not it. We can't go on hunting missions."

Zuko was visibly annoyed and propped himself up on his elbows. "Why can't healers go on hunting missions?" he demanded. "Two people died on this one - and this kind of thing seems to be relatively common."

"It's not because we're healers, it's because we're girls, or women," she said, her voice rising slightly. "And why do you even care if some of us die? You're from the Fire Nation, you should be happy!" The deaths of her people already weighed heavily on her, and being lectured by Zuko about how they could have been saved infuriated her. It was ridiculous that a Fire Nation Prince was able to help her tribe while she wasn't. It was all because of her tribe's stupid customs. She bowed her head when she felt tears forming in her eyes. Her lip trembled, and she blinked them back. After a moment, she raised her head and instantly felt guilty.

He looked angry and slightly hurt.

Katara sighed and shuffled next his bed. "Give me your arm," she said quietly.

Zuko pulled back and stared at her with a strange expression.

"I'm sorry. That wasn't fair what I said, II know you helped my brother and the others. Now give me your arm," she said stiffly. She huffed when he still made no move to obey and continued to stare at her.

"Girls aren't allowed to waterbend?" he asked slowly, and he tilted his head to the side.

She felt herself blush. The way he was staring made her feel uncomfortable. "Obviously."

"So, you sneaking into waterbending practice wouldn't have been allowed," he said with a small smile. "Right?"

Her eyes widened in panic. He had recognized her. She looked towards the door before settling on Zuko with a glare. She brought herself within an inch of his face. "Don't you even think of telling anyone," she hissed.

The prince's smirk widened, and he shrugged. "I won't."

Katara fell back onto her knees, and continued to glare at him halfheartedly. "Good, because no one would believe you anyway." She pouted when it became clear that he wasn't going to take her seriously.

"I would do the same thing," he admitted.

"Is that supposed to be sympathy?" she asked bitterly.

"Well, things are done differently in the Fire Nation. We judge people by their talent."

In the days following the return of the failed hunting expedition, Zuko found that something had changed between him and the warrior trainees. They still avoided him, but the ones who had been on the hunting mission left him alone, and most of the others glared at him less. Sokka would even give him the occasional respectful nod from across the training yard. Zuko's resolve to escape was still strong, but he no longer dreaded waking up in the morning.

Two weeks after the disastrous hunt, Sokka sought him out in the corner of the training yard where he practiced his hot-squats.

"Hey, Zuko..." he said. "There's something you should know, and I figured you might not want to hear it from, I don't know, Hahn or somebody."

"What is it?" asked Zuko suspiciously, shifting his stance to something more comfortable.

"General Iroh was your uncle, right?"

"Was?" Zuko felt himself pale.

Sokka cringed. "I didn't mean to -"

Zuko looked away. "How did it happen?" he asked.

Sokka hesitated for a moment before speaking. "He hung himself in his cell. They - the Earth Kingdom - they captured him about half way through the - though our campaign, but I guess you knew that. You were there."

Zuko shook his head, leaning back against the icy wall behind him. "Uncle wouldn't do that," he said.

"I'm sorry, Zuko," said Sokka. He stood there for a while, but when Zuko didn't say anything, he left awkwardly.

"He wouldn't do that," said Zuko to the empty sky.

* * *

><p>AN: I'm back! Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get in touch with my original beta, temarixshikamaruluva. She helped me a lot with this chapter. I'd also like to thank my friend VexingLightning for giving the chapter a final read-through. You can find her on "Fur Affinity" if you want to check out her anthro art.


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